A MOTHER has praised the villagers who rallied round when her family lost everything in a devastating house fire.

Tracy Brownridge and her daughters noticed nothing wrong when they returned to their home on Friday night after visiting some horses.

But when 14-year-old Olivia went towards the kitchen, she saw smoke and they had to flee the property.

Tracy said she got her disabled daughter Bethany, 20, to safety, then went back in the house to try and save the family’s kittens while Olivia ran up the street to get help.

She succeeded, but firefighters were unable to stop the blaze from destroying the entire house, leaving the family without a home or belongings.

Neighbours and friends from Bubwith near Selby stepped in.

“It’s beginning to sink in, everything that has happened,” said Tracy. “The whole of the neighbourhood and the surrounding area has been absolutely amazing.

“We’ve lost everything. I cannot thank people enough.”

Childminder Tracy has looked after many children from the village during her 14 years living there.

Samantha Lord provided accommodation for the family until they could find a place to rent.

“I don’t know what I would have done without her, her mother and Kim and Steve Hill,” said Tracy.

Neighbours and friends have given gifts of bedding, furniture, money and offers of a house they can rent and set up temporary arrangements for her child-minding business.

Louise Smith, of the Jug and Bottle delicatessen and off-licence in the village, is co-ordinating a justgiving appeal through Facebook.

Tracy’s son Joshua, 22, was playing cricket when the fire broke out and had to be told the news before he went home.

None of the family were injured, though Tracy and her daughters were taken to hospital for checks and Bethany stayed in overnight as a precaution.

The flames destroyed her wheelchair, medication and medical equipment, said Tracy.

The cause of the fire has yet to be established.